Thursday, December 27, 2007
Planning for the New Year
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Caraway and I are planning several initiatives for the coming year that will improve our Council District and hopefully the City of Dallas. Hence, the lack of posting this week. One thing I can assure you - the last six months will have nothing on the next six months. Stay tuned.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
10 Drops in the Bucket - A Visual Take
Last week, the Dallas Morning News had an editorial called 10 Drops in the Bucket (link). The focus are ten places in southern Dallas that need fixing, cleaning up, or closing. The editors said that they would focus on these ten issues, follow up, and then find another ten things to talk about (pdf map).
I figured I would take it to the next level by offering you the visual of what they are writing about, courtesy of Google Street View. You can zoom in on each picture by clicking 'full screen' once you get to Google.
This is the type of thing that all papers should be doing. I thank them for using their voice to try to effect change.
More after the jump. Let's go:
(Right click to view in a separate window)
1. The house near Imperial and Montie streets cries out for code compliance – or any other inspector the city might have handy. The three tiny plywood shacks in the back yard – each reportedly rents for about $400 per month – are straight out of a Third World country. And the old toilets and trash covering nearby lots also soil the landscape (pic).
2. The pile of police reports detailing incidents at the Southern Comfort Motel stands half a foot high. Assaults, robberies, car jackings, unexplained deaths, prostitution and drug sales have been reported at the business on Lancaster Road. Neighbors and city staff members already have launched proceedings that ultimately could shutter Southern Comfort. But with an elementary school two blocks away, the resolution can't come soon enough (pic). Note: The City Plan Commission, of which I am a member, voted to deny the Specific Use Permit for this motel to operate. They are on their last leg and fighting on multiple fronts to stay open. They have likely spent more on lawyers than cleaning up this filthy place.
3. Abandoned lots and buildings in the 5800 block of South Lamar have become makeshift parking lots and open-air markets. For sale: cinderblocks and dirty mattresses, among other things. Lack of code enforcement may have been good for business – but lousy for the neighborhood (pic).
4. The Dallas Zoo is an attraction that should lure visitors from across North Texas to the southern part of the city. But for families exiting Interstate 35E one of the first businesses they'll see is the ramshackle Dallas Inn. One look at the broken windows and the bombed-out-looking building, and zoo-goers might be tempted to turn around and head home (pic).
5. You can't pull up a chair and enjoy your Frosty in the Wendy's at Lancaster Road and Kiest Boulevard. The drive-through-only restaurant wants your money but won't allow you to take a seat, leaving pedestrian patrons to eat on the sidewalk. In the future, the city should take a hard look at requests to build eating establishments that lack tables and chairs (pic).
6. The Bishop Arts District is a bright spot in north Oak Cliff, but it's a pretty small spot. The boundaries seem to be marked by the absence of curbs and sidewalks on surrounding streets. With the addition of basic infrastructure, Madison Avenue could offer spillover parking for the district; right now, it's a muddy, weedy mess (pic).
7. The intersection of Hampton Road and Ledbetter Drive has become a popular destination with a Fiesta supermarket, a Subway sandwich shop and an assortment of specialty stores. But the surrounding landscape is littered with old-fashioned telephone poles and exposed lines. These relics of the past are a rare sight on the north side of town. This busy corner and plenty of other southern Dallas neighborhoods would benefit from having the lines buried (pic).
8. The car wash near Sunnyvale Street and Ledbetter Drive has become a big draw – for people who arrive on foot. Neighbors report seeing open drug use and constant loitering. But despite their complaints, the car wash continues to draw a crowd (pic).
9. The low-powered street lights along Jefferson Boulevard make this marketplace a not-so-inviting place once the sun sets. Some additional wattage could go a long way toward attracting shoppers and diners. Surely buying some brighter bulbs would not be too much to ask (pic).
10. At the original Rosemont Elementary School campus, the recreational amenities consist of a rutted asphalt patch surrounded by a rusty chain-link fence near Mary Cliff Road and Ranier Street. Replacing the asphalt with a small expanse of grass – or perhaps some playground equipment – would make this neighborhood a more kid-friendly place (pic).
I figured I would take it to the next level by offering you the visual of what they are writing about, courtesy of Google Street View. You can zoom in on each picture by clicking 'full screen' once you get to Google.
This is the type of thing that all papers should be doing. I thank them for using their voice to try to effect change.
More after the jump. Let's go:
(Right click to view in a separate window)
1. The house near Imperial and Montie streets cries out for code compliance – or any other inspector the city might have handy. The three tiny plywood shacks in the back yard – each reportedly rents for about $400 per month – are straight out of a Third World country. And the old toilets and trash covering nearby lots also soil the landscape (pic).
2. The pile of police reports detailing incidents at the Southern Comfort Motel stands half a foot high. Assaults, robberies, car jackings, unexplained deaths, prostitution and drug sales have been reported at the business on Lancaster Road. Neighbors and city staff members already have launched proceedings that ultimately could shutter Southern Comfort. But with an elementary school two blocks away, the resolution can't come soon enough (pic). Note: The City Plan Commission, of which I am a member, voted to deny the Specific Use Permit for this motel to operate. They are on their last leg and fighting on multiple fronts to stay open. They have likely spent more on lawyers than cleaning up this filthy place.
3. Abandoned lots and buildings in the 5800 block of South Lamar have become makeshift parking lots and open-air markets. For sale: cinderblocks and dirty mattresses, among other things. Lack of code enforcement may have been good for business – but lousy for the neighborhood (pic).
4. The Dallas Zoo is an attraction that should lure visitors from across North Texas to the southern part of the city. But for families exiting Interstate 35E one of the first businesses they'll see is the ramshackle Dallas Inn. One look at the broken windows and the bombed-out-looking building, and zoo-goers might be tempted to turn around and head home (pic).
5. You can't pull up a chair and enjoy your Frosty in the Wendy's at Lancaster Road and Kiest Boulevard. The drive-through-only restaurant wants your money but won't allow you to take a seat, leaving pedestrian patrons to eat on the sidewalk. In the future, the city should take a hard look at requests to build eating establishments that lack tables and chairs (pic).
6. The Bishop Arts District is a bright spot in north Oak Cliff, but it's a pretty small spot. The boundaries seem to be marked by the absence of curbs and sidewalks on surrounding streets. With the addition of basic infrastructure, Madison Avenue could offer spillover parking for the district; right now, it's a muddy, weedy mess (pic).
7. The intersection of Hampton Road and Ledbetter Drive has become a popular destination with a Fiesta supermarket, a Subway sandwich shop and an assortment of specialty stores. But the surrounding landscape is littered with old-fashioned telephone poles and exposed lines. These relics of the past are a rare sight on the north side of town. This busy corner and plenty of other southern Dallas neighborhoods would benefit from having the lines buried (pic).
8. The car wash near Sunnyvale Street and Ledbetter Drive has become a big draw – for people who arrive on foot. Neighbors report seeing open drug use and constant loitering. But despite their complaints, the car wash continues to draw a crowd (pic).
9. The low-powered street lights along Jefferson Boulevard make this marketplace a not-so-inviting place once the sun sets. Some additional wattage could go a long way toward attracting shoppers and diners. Surely buying some brighter bulbs would not be too much to ask (pic).
10. At the original Rosemont Elementary School campus, the recreational amenities consist of a rutted asphalt patch surrounded by a rusty chain-link fence near Mary Cliff Road and Ranier Street. Replacing the asphalt with a small expanse of grass – or perhaps some playground equipment – would make this neighborhood a more kid-friendly place (pic).
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Parents to Colonial House Motel: You're Next!
Parents at the St. Philips School in South Dallas have raised the $1,000 to file the application with the city to close the Colonial House Motel (map).
The owner of the motel does the usual "no crime here" bit. Funny how they always want to be off camera if it's such a great business, huh?
However, check out Brad Watson's story and witness the woman flagging cars down in front of the motel. Plus, anyone who's in the area knows that prostitutes are out there on a regular basis.
Here's the Channel 8 story (link). I'm glad the parents are taking a stand.
The owner of the motel does the usual "no crime here" bit. Funny how they always want to be off camera if it's such a great business, huh?
However, check out Brad Watson's story and witness the woman flagging cars down in front of the motel. Plus, anyone who's in the area knows that prostitutes are out there on a regular basis.
Here's the Channel 8 story (link). I'm glad the parents are taking a stand.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Lancaster Students Say "Respect Yourself"
Lancaster,TX students created an anti-sag video. It's titled "What Not to Wear." These students were inspired by Dallas Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway's campaign to increase pride among youth and sent this video to his City Council office.
More videos and info can be found at www.dwainecaraway.com
More videos and info can be found at www.dwainecaraway.com
Pastors want Motel Three Closed
As you may have heard two pastors in South Oak Cliff have filed to closed the Motel Three at 3705 Bonnie View Road (Google street view map).
Pastor Steven Sims of Greater Ideal Baptist Church and Pastor Tommy Brown of Ervay Cedar Baptist Church will have their case heard in January. There have been multiple violent crimes at the motel, and it is also a haven for drugs and prostitution. Here are the news clips from a couple of weeks ago.
Channel 8 reporting:
Fox 4 News reporting:
NBC5 reporting:
Pastor Steven Sims of Greater Ideal Baptist Church and Pastor Tommy Brown of Ervay Cedar Baptist Church will have their case heard in January. There have been multiple violent crimes at the motel, and it is also a haven for drugs and prostitution. Here are the news clips from a couple of weeks ago.
Channel 8 reporting:
Fox 4 News reporting:
NBC5 reporting:
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Big T Bazaar Safety Plan
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway has been working on a new safety plan for Big T Bazaar (map) since the murder of college student Jonathon Hopkins at the center in November. It did not happen overnight. This effort is the difference between making speeches about crime and violence and doing something about it.
Having Big T purchase the DPD Sky Camera is the first in a series of steps that the owners of Big T will implement. Increased lighting, security, and other improvements will also take place in the coming weeks and months.
I am also concerned with working with retailers to change some of the clothing that they sell which glorifies drug dealing and violence. But first, overall safety must be addressed.
No taxpayer money is involved. Thanks to the Mayor, Chief Kunkle, Deputy Chief Scott, Councilman Sheffie Kadane, Councilwoman Pauline Medrano, other city officials, and neighbors for giving their support to Caraway's plan. Kudos go out to the organizers of this event.
Thanks to Mr. Lee and the other operators and owners of Big T for realizing that more needed to be done to create a safe shopping environment. The owners of Big T Bazaar do not own the entire Village Fair Shopping Center Complex.
Thanks to the news outlets that covered this story. Bill Blair and Jordan Blair of The Elite News were on hand, so look for the new paper coming out this Friday.
Fox 4 News - Clip 1
Fox 4 News - Clip 2
Channel 8 News
Having Big T purchase the DPD Sky Camera is the first in a series of steps that the owners of Big T will implement. Increased lighting, security, and other improvements will also take place in the coming weeks and months.
I am also concerned with working with retailers to change some of the clothing that they sell which glorifies drug dealing and violence. But first, overall safety must be addressed.
No taxpayer money is involved. Thanks to the Mayor, Chief Kunkle, Deputy Chief Scott, Councilman Sheffie Kadane, Councilwoman Pauline Medrano, other city officials, and neighbors for giving their support to Caraway's plan. Kudos go out to the organizers of this event.
Thanks to Mr. Lee and the other operators and owners of Big T for realizing that more needed to be done to create a safe shopping environment. The owners of Big T Bazaar do not own the entire Village Fair Shopping Center Complex.
Thanks to the news outlets that covered this story. Bill Blair and Jordan Blair of The Elite News were on hand, so look for the new paper coming out this Friday.
Fox 4 News - Clip 1
Fox 4 News - Clip 2
Channel 8 News
Monday, December 17, 2007
Bring on the Convention Center Hotel
Shawn Williams of Dallas South Blog says just that in his Dallas Morning News op-ed this morning.
Shawn is a noted young African-American blogger that lives in Oak Cliff. He has decided, unlike many people, to raise his young family in Oak Cliff and to make a difference. I value his opinion highly.
Shawn is a noted young African-American blogger that lives in Oak Cliff. He has decided, unlike many people, to raise his young family in Oak Cliff and to make a difference. I value his opinion highly.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
I'm Proud of the Deep Ellum Group
A little more than a month ago, I tried to encourage the people that support the Deep Ellum bars and clubs to continue their civic involvement. I was so proud of y'all when I saw the news clips and saw that you packed the City Council chambers once again to make your feelings known.
The Council meeting may have seen long and drawn out, but that's because the council was trying to give each club the benefit of the doubt. In the end, the clubs did very well when it came to getting permits.
Club One and Club Uropa made it very hard on themselves. In terms of Club One, you can't act like violence doesn't occur inside the club. Unlike the false argument made by an owner of Club One, it wasn't racially motivated. I'm Black and I too voted to close Club One at the City Plan Commission level. Violence is violence, and they have a crime problem inside the club.
The owner of Uropa may not have known about his website (maybe someone younger created it and didn't tell him what was on there?), but it is common knowledge that Uropa throws those kind of parties (which may cause you to need special licensing as a sexually oriented business). Uropa's website has been that way for some time. As councilman Dave Neumann correctly stated, getting an SUP is a privilege and not a right. As you all heard again, both clubs have had serious crime issues.
I guess I'm torn on the issues surrounding the clubs. I appreciate what people like Barry Annino and others are trying to do. At the same time, the bad clubs need to go - they only make it harder for the area to be a safe destination for all people.
I just wanted to once again thank all of you for participating, and encourage all of you to keep up on city issues and stay involved.
The Council meeting may have seen long and drawn out, but that's because the council was trying to give each club the benefit of the doubt. In the end, the clubs did very well when it came to getting permits.
Club One and Club Uropa made it very hard on themselves. In terms of Club One, you can't act like violence doesn't occur inside the club. Unlike the false argument made by an owner of Club One, it wasn't racially motivated. I'm Black and I too voted to close Club One at the City Plan Commission level. Violence is violence, and they have a crime problem inside the club.
The owner of Uropa may not have known about his website (maybe someone younger created it and didn't tell him what was on there?), but it is common knowledge that Uropa throws those kind of parties (which may cause you to need special licensing as a sexually oriented business). Uropa's website has been that way for some time. As councilman Dave Neumann correctly stated, getting an SUP is a privilege and not a right. As you all heard again, both clubs have had serious crime issues.
I guess I'm torn on the issues surrounding the clubs. I appreciate what people like Barry Annino and others are trying to do. At the same time, the bad clubs need to go - they only make it harder for the area to be a safe destination for all people.
I just wanted to once again thank all of you for participating, and encourage all of you to keep up on city issues and stay involved.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The Old Hard Rock Cafe..for Lease?
Monday, December 10, 2007
Congrats to C.W. Whitaker
C.W. is now the Chair of the South Dallas/Fair Park Trust Fund Board. He served for eight years on the Park Board and was the President for some time.
Everybody knows C.W. Why? It's because C.W. is a guy that tries to help everyone, and does a whole lot behind the scenes for everyday people in the city of Dallas. He's always made time for me when I had a question or needed a little help in the right direction. It's good to have people like that in your corner.
Everybody knows C.W. Why? It's because C.W. is a guy that tries to help everyone, and does a whole lot behind the scenes for everyday people in the city of Dallas. He's always made time for me when I had a question or needed a little help in the right direction. It's good to have people like that in your corner.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Arrest in Nailah Franklin Case
Even though I'm in Dallas, I posted about Nailah Franklin in Chicago because for some reason I felt a connection with her. Maybe because she could've been my sister, my cousin, my wife.
The fellow bloggers at What About Our Daughters (link) bring word that an arrest has been made in the Nailah Franklin case. I'm glad they got him.
For Texas residents, there is a missing persons clearinghouse database. This is a link to the most recent. Glenda Furch of Fort Worth is still missing as well.
The fellow bloggers at What About Our Daughters (link) bring word that an arrest has been made in the Nailah Franklin case. I'm glad they got him.
For Texas residents, there is a missing persons clearinghouse database. This is a link to the most recent. Glenda Furch of Fort Worth is still missing as well.
This is Me Laughing at You
Usually, I don't respond to haters but I couldn't pass this up.
A funny thing happened today. Remember my post about the whole "issue" surrounding the holiday party at the W last week? Well, the writer of the article (James Ragland) decided to take some shots at yours truly on the DMN blog. By the way, several people have commented on my post saying the article was silly.
Let's clear something up...
Things that I am:
*A person that is not a journalist, and doesn't want to be a journalist.
*A person that cares about his community with a certifiable record of working to help people.
*Someone that does not need to be certified and doesn't need the approval of anyone who writes for any paper. I find it laughable that people send in letters to the Morning News all of the time criticizing articles, and of all the people that needle the DMN in various forums he decides to take me on.
* A person that absolutely doesn't crave a "stamp of approval" or to be deemed credible by James Ragland. He acted like I attacked his whole life and career because I thought the party was a non-issue. I'm pretty sure that Ross Perot Jr or anyone else can get a meeting with the Mayor without having to have a private party. Perot's rich, he had a party at his house and the entire world wasn't invited. So what. I've needled Perot over the affordability of stores and other things in Victory Park, which was the subject of an article in the Fort-Worth Star Telegram and several other outlets. I've also talked about it in editor's roundtables at the Dallas Morning News offices!
* Someone who has linked to some of Ragland's articles in the past. But he wouldn't know that, would he?
The funniest thing this guy wrote was,
*A person that still thinks it was a stupid article. Again, I'm pretty sure that Ross Perot Jr can't get any more City Hall access than he already has by having a private party. Get real - he built Victory Park, dude.
If people want to take things personal and be sensitive about what I write, that's on them. If he took on Minyard's for an issue like this the way like he took me on, maybe we'd be getting somewhere.
One of my mentors back home always said, "if you don't have any enemies then you haven't done anything that required a tough decision in your life."
I'm not as easy a target as some people think. And you think someone who has been a journalist for so long would have a thicker skin and pick bigger targets.
As I mentioned, a lot of people at the DMN do a great job. If you read the blog you'd know that I shout them out from time to time.
Response written by Shawn Williams of Dallas South Blog: link
Response written by Trey Garrison at D Magazine: link
Now that we got that cleared up, we can get back to more important issues.
A funny thing happened today. Remember my post about the whole "issue" surrounding the holiday party at the W last week? Well, the writer of the article (James Ragland) decided to take some shots at yours truly on the DMN blog. By the way, several people have commented on my post saying the article was silly.
Let's clear something up...
Things that I am:
*A person that is not a journalist, and doesn't want to be a journalist.
*A person that cares about his community with a certifiable record of working to help people.
*Someone that does not need to be certified and doesn't need the approval of anyone who writes for any paper. I find it laughable that people send in letters to the Morning News all of the time criticizing articles, and of all the people that needle the DMN in various forums he decides to take me on.
* A person that absolutely doesn't crave a "stamp of approval" or to be deemed credible by James Ragland. He acted like I attacked his whole life and career because I thought the party was a non-issue. I'm pretty sure that Ross Perot Jr or anyone else can get a meeting with the Mayor without having to have a private party. Perot's rich, he had a party at his house and the entire world wasn't invited. So what. I've needled Perot over the affordability of stores and other things in Victory Park, which was the subject of an article in the Fort-Worth Star Telegram and several other outlets. I've also talked about it in editor's roundtables at the Dallas Morning News offices!
* Someone who has linked to some of Ragland's articles in the past. But he wouldn't know that, would he?
The funniest thing this guy wrote was,
"Mr. Davis might consider getting out of the office himself a bit more, and expanding the universe of people with whom he chats. "Is he serious? I'll leave the readers to contemplate that.
*A person that still thinks it was a stupid article. Again, I'm pretty sure that Ross Perot Jr can't get any more City Hall access than he already has by having a private party. Get real - he built Victory Park, dude.
If people want to take things personal and be sensitive about what I write, that's on them. If he took on Minyard's for an issue like this the way like he took me on, maybe we'd be getting somewhere.
One of my mentors back home always said, "if you don't have any enemies then you haven't done anything that required a tough decision in your life."
I'm not as easy a target as some people think. And you think someone who has been a journalist for so long would have a thicker skin and pick bigger targets.
As I mentioned, a lot of people at the DMN do a great job. If you read the blog you'd know that I shout them out from time to time.
Response written by Shawn Williams of Dallas South Blog: link
Response written by Trey Garrison at D Magazine: link
Now that we got that cleared up, we can get back to more important issues.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Chili's Returning to Oak Cliff
As I mentioned before, Chili's is coming back to Oak Cliff. It will be located in the same development as the Target store at the northwest corner of Hampton & Wheatland. The restaurant is now under construction.
The old Chili's is now open as the South Dallas Cafe. It's good to see someone investing in Oak Cliff. Here's hoping that others will follow.
The old Chili's is now open as the South Dallas Cafe. It's good to see someone investing in Oak Cliff. Here's hoping that others will follow.
Friday, December 7, 2007
6th Community Teen Summit at City Hall
Dwaine Caraway is hosting his 6th Community Teen Summit on Saturday. As always, it will be on the 6th floor of City Hall. Co-hosting will be the Dallas chapter of The Links. The topic of discussion will be "Health & Wellness: Mind, Body, and Spirit"
Here is the link to the flyer (link).
Here is the link to the flyer (link).
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
You're Kidding...Right?
I have had some great meetings and built some relationships with folks at the Dallas Morning News surrounding the reporting of the paper and how it can be improved with respect to southern Dallas. Some of the writers do a great job, and many of the editors "get it" and are working to improve media-community relations. Some don't.
I read today's DMN paper and saw that there was an article written by one of the metro writers about the holiday party that some of the council attended a couple of days back. Also included in that article was a mention of the council retreat that occurred just after the inauguration.
Two words: who cares!
Really...are we seriously concerned with the City Council retreat from last summer? Who in the 'hood really cares about if the Mayor and other officials went to someone's Christmas party? So if I have a party at my place and invite the Mayor, some councilpeople, and others I have to invite a couple of reporters or everybody gets upset? It's ridiculous. Plus, Dave Levinthal already covered the topic when it happened. To Dave's credit, today he chose to write about the gift made to a Fair Park-area community that will transform the neighborhood.
It may make a couple people read but it does very little to effect real things in this city. People don't care. We care about real issues. I care that the Mayor is constantly in Oak Cliff to bring the issues straight to negligent motel owners and derelict drug-house operators.
Thanks to reporters like Dave Levinthal and Scott Goldstein; the DMN should take good care of them. They are respected reporters in the community; you have to get out of the office to make that happen.
I read today's DMN paper and saw that there was an article written by one of the metro writers about the holiday party that some of the council attended a couple of days back. Also included in that article was a mention of the council retreat that occurred just after the inauguration.
Two words: who cares!
Really...are we seriously concerned with the City Council retreat from last summer? Who in the 'hood really cares about if the Mayor and other officials went to someone's Christmas party? So if I have a party at my place and invite the Mayor, some councilpeople, and others I have to invite a couple of reporters or everybody gets upset? It's ridiculous. Plus, Dave Levinthal already covered the topic when it happened. To Dave's credit, today he chose to write about the gift made to a Fair Park-area community that will transform the neighborhood.
It may make a couple people read but it does very little to effect real things in this city. People don't care. We care about real issues. I care that the Mayor is constantly in Oak Cliff to bring the issues straight to negligent motel owners and derelict drug-house operators.
Thanks to reporters like Dave Levinthal and Scott Goldstein; the DMN should take good care of them. They are respected reporters in the community; you have to get out of the office to make that happen.
Monday, December 3, 2007
The Call to Invest is Deafening
In the last few weeks, there have been multiple articles on the disparity of investment in southern Dallas compared to North Dallas. Here are some of my favorites:
Rufus Shaw's community editorial in the Dallas Morning News: "Where is southern Dallas' share?" (link).
My article in the December issue of D Magazine (link).
"The Dreams of Tomorrow" editorial in the DMN (link).
The voices will get louder. It's not going away.
Rufus Shaw's community editorial in the Dallas Morning News: "Where is southern Dallas' share?" (link).
My article in the December issue of D Magazine (link).
"The Dreams of Tomorrow" editorial in the DMN (link).
The voices will get louder. It's not going away.
Big T Shooting - Closing May not be the Answer
As you can guess, I am deeply troubled by the shooting at Big T. This incident, to me, was a senseless shooting between two thugs. One has already turned himself in.
In this case, I don't think that closing Big T is the answer. I have learned that the owners spend over $200,000 in security. The owners also started a fund for the slain college student, Jonathon Hopkins, and contributed $5,000. This bazaar is very different from a club that caters to thugs and miscreants. Big T is a legitimate business and provides a lot of opportunities for people trying to start a business.
I feel really bad for the Hopkins family. All the young man was trying to do is buy some clothes on his holiday break.
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway is very concerned. You may have seen some of the news reports in which he toured the bazaar and met with the owners. We will make additional announcements at the appropriate time. A plan is being developed to help deal with these issues.
In this case, I don't think that closing Big T is the answer. I have learned that the owners spend over $200,000 in security. The owners also started a fund for the slain college student, Jonathon Hopkins, and contributed $5,000. This bazaar is very different from a club that caters to thugs and miscreants. Big T is a legitimate business and provides a lot of opportunities for people trying to start a business.
I feel really bad for the Hopkins family. All the young man was trying to do is buy some clothes on his holiday break.
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway is very concerned. You may have seen some of the news reports in which he toured the bazaar and met with the owners. We will make additional announcements at the appropriate time. A plan is being developed to help deal with these issues.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Apartment Safety in Dallas is Awful
Channels 11 & 21 had an interesting story tonight about apartment safety. Unfortunately, it's nothing new. Apartment complexes are in Dallas are dangerous places to live, and you can expect your landlord to do nothing to help. The neighborhood doesn't matter; tonight's story was based in an upscale complex in Oak Lawn.
I have written about this before (link) and will continue to shine a light on this topic.
Thanks to Kimberly Ball for covering the story. The video is below.
I have written about this before (link) and will continue to shine a light on this topic.
Thanks to Kimberly Ball for covering the story. The video is below.
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